Roeder's Unfazed by Talk of the Sack

Roeder's Unfazed by Talk of the Sack

Article excerpt

A defiant Glenn Roeder last night insisted he is unconcerned about renewed speculation surrounding his position at St James's Park.

And the Newcastle manager defended his team's efforts at Reading and insisted that his misfiring Magpies had performed "extremely well" during a fixture in which familiar failings cost them dear.

United failed to score for the eighth time in 11 first-team games and although Michael Owen and Shola Ameobi made their long-awaited comebacks, Antoine Sibierski and Emre suffered injuries that will sideline them until next season.

That this has been a campaign to forget is clear. But while Sam Allardyce's dramatic departure from Bolton Wanderers has prompted reports that he could again become a target for Freddie Shepherd, Roeder insisted he does not fear for his job. "I won't lose a second of sleep over it," he said. "I've been through too much in my life to worry about speculation. I'm not worried at all. But I'm not surprised.

"You're an easy target at Newcastle, it has been like that for a number of years. There's always speculation, there always has been. It was the same for Graeme Souness and for Bobby Robson and for those before them. That's the animal. That's how it is."

Newcastle's defeat was their 16th in the Premiership this season and although Roeder bemoaned his side's failure to score yet again, he refused to criticise his players.

"I thought we were worth at least a point," he said. "We had opportunities but there comes a point when you have to start taking chances and we've missed too many lately. We had enough chances to have taken something from the game so it's hugely frustrating. I thought we played extremely well in the first half but we gave away a sloppy goal after the break.

"The two injuries summed things up. I know it's getting close to the end of the season but neither of those players will play again before the summer. They will probably be injured for a couple of months rather than a couple of weeks.

"Sibierski has broken his forearm and Emre has got a nasty ankle injury. I've been critical of some of the lads away from home but I can't do that here. …